A Love that Wasn't, but Should Have Been
by Alexia Featherchild
Summary: Ten years prior to the current storyline, when the Takahashi brothers lost their parents. This is about the not so mysterious stranger whom was also involved in the accident. Will love blossom between a Takahashi brother and their amnesiac charge?
1. Accidents

**Disclaimer:** The characters found within this fanfiction belong to the creator of Junjou Romantica, Nakamura Shungiku.

**Author Note:** This is an AU/AT taking place during and just after the time of the Takahashi brothers parents death. **_Warning_**: If you do _not_ _like_ non-canon pairings, then I suggest you leave, _now! _Thank you.

_**Further Warning**_: A somewhat gorey description of death.

* * *

**Prologue: Tragedy**

* * *

It had been one dreary night, the once moonlit sky above cloaked by darkness as it rumbled with wrath, heavy storm gray clouds hanging low and concealing all of the stars in the heavens from view. It was that night beneath the onslaught of heavily pouring rain, with droplets the size of a quarter falling rapidly to the Earth that the road conditions had worsened considerably in the city of Tokyo. Throughout the city there were murmurs beneath umbrellas as people hurriedly took shelter in twenty-four hour shops, libraries and hotels from the worsening condition of the storm. A storm which had been brewing throughout the early morning on into late evening when thunder finally crashed overhead. Followed by the blinding light from the streak of lightening soon after causing people, those whom had not had sense enough to stop and get out of their vehicles and out of the natural disaster that plagued their rich and vibrant city, to hastily put on their breaks.

Among those on the road, were a couple headed home, to their children, their two sons of eighteen and eight, Takahiro and Misaki. They were worried about their youngest, whom had had to stay home that day due to his fever, but their precious emerald eyed second son had been so understanding of their need to go. Before they'd headed back home they'd taken a stop at a local mall purchasing items of toys and treats that their youngest would enjoy, for him having been such a good boy.

Perhaps it would have been best, had they stopped somewhere once it looked as though the conditions were only going to worsen, but they only wanted to get home, but they were in no rush, slowing down on the highway. The father of the Takahashi brothers was silent as he kept all of his concentration on the road, while his wife sitting in the passenger seat, also keeping her eye on the road least she should notice something that her husband did not. It was however a comfortable silence save for the splash of the rain against the rooftop and windows of their car and the swish-swish of the windshield wipers.

Yet behind them, there was an impatient truck driver honking their horn, surely going over the speed-limit, when road conditions and the blinking of their back lights clearly indicated that the people behind them should slow down. Besides the person in front of them clearly listened to reason when it came to the news castors that were blaring across all channels about the weather, the dangers and proper road behavior during the enormous electric storm that they were experiencing.

Cinnamon brown eyes tried to keep their focus on the road, but even with the windshield wipers constantly moving back and forth it was difficult to see through the non-stop downpour, even with the cars high beams on. His speed had come to a crawl, which was safer than even attempting to go the regular day-to-day speed-limit, because the roads were slick with water and that made it dangerous. Besides the car in front of him, just beginning to turn around the bend in the road wasn't going any quicker than he was. Yet behind him, he could hear the loud blaring of a horn, which he didn't believe belonged to the car directly behind him, but it was too dark to see well behind them in the rear-view mirror.

His plans to to drunk that night were screwed as well as the idea of finding someone to take away the ache in his heart, pining as he did for one silver haired mans love. His first foray into gay sex would have to wait for another night, because with road conditions like they were, he wasn't going to place his trust in anyone. Not even himself, were he to get so drunk he didn't know what the hell he was doing.

The couple behind the soon to graduate high school senior heard the horn of the vehicle behind them blare yet again, this time much closer than before. Just as they heard it, they could react they were whipped forward as the sound of metal crunching against metal assaulted their ears. The woman's head banged against the passenger window, the mans chest hitting the steering wheel, but they were minor injuries. However as the front of their car smashed into the one in front of them, their windshield cracked sending splinters and shards of glass back at them, the woman accidentally inhaling at the wrong moment and choking on a sharp piece in the back of her throat. The steering wheel was slammed further back into the mans chest, causing his ribs to crack and break, one of them puncturing a hole in his heart.

The light ash brown haired youth in the front car had been too shocked to protect himself as his car was rammed into from behind, the front bumper scraping against the railing that kept him from going over the ravine –- just barely. From the back seat of his car, where he'd piled up who knew how many books be they textbooks for school or books for the sheer pleasure of reading, one large book flew through from the back and hit him square in the back of his head. It was a hard covered thick book with over a fifteen hundred pages, and it came at him so fast that it felt like he'd been hit in the head with a rock as he cried out in agony, his eyes rolling back as everything turned from white to black. Slumping forward over the steering wheel he missed the crack of thunder and the crash of a branch against his driver side window, a single shard of glass lodging just above his left temple.

Had there been a paramedic nearby they might have had a chance, but unfortunately no one knew of the accident until a car coming up behind the three vehicle pileup pulled out their cell to report to 9-1-1 the situation they had found.

Finally when three ambulances and two firetrucks arrived along with several police cars, the truck driver who'd been at the very back and the actual catalyst of the accident walked away unscratched. He however was not allowed to walk away scott-free from the scene, as he was breathalyzed and found to be way over the legal limit by one very suspicious officer.

They had had to use the jaws of life to free the bodies of the Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi. However for them, it was minutes too late for how long it had taken the ambulances to arrive and for the jaws of life to be used.

There was but one other survivor, besides the man who had caused the accident, the still unconscious man that they carefully removed from his vehicle out the passenger side as the driver side was stuck along the rail. Once the paramedics had him safely out they wheeled him to the ambulance. They did not at that time remove the shard of glass, least pulling it cause the wound to start bleeding again.

Though the two in the back, keeping a careful eye on him while the driver up front turned on the siren to return to the closest hospital, heaved sighs of relief as the young man dressed in a high school gakuran slowly opened his eyes, "Nnhhhnnn..." though he didn't stay conscious for long, wincing, perhaps once more passing out from the sheer pain he must have been suffering judging by the large bump on the back of his head. Though they needed to be sure he didn't have too bad a concussion and to find out as soon as they arrived at the hospital whether or not he had any swelling of the brain. They silently hoped not, for the sake of the young mans parents and because they wanted someone innocent to survive the accident that a driver, drunker than a duck marinated in red wine had caused.


	2. Revelations

**Revelations  
**

* * *

It had been a painful revelation for Takahashi Takahiro upon learning of his beloved parents demise when a police officer had shown up at his door during the awful storm, unlike any they'd seen in years. He'd told his little brother to go to his room and not to come out until he called him, sensing something was terribly wrong and not wanting Misaki to hear it other than from him.

The officer had told him, unsmiling, uncomfortingly, "I'm sorry Takahashi Takahiro, but your parents Takahashi Misao and his wife Takahashi Takara were involved in a three car pile up on the highway."

The black haired senior high school student, just days away from graduation had dreaded what the officer had to say next, his heart had pounded painfully against his chest. All too soon, his worst fears had been confirmed.

"Takahashi-kun," the officer held his hat down in his hands in front of him, gazing down at the ground, "your parents, didn't make it," as the man in uniform finished he looked up, placing his cap back on his head with an apologetic glance.

He'd at that time been to shell shocked to say anything, to do anything other than to burst into tears as he fell to his knees. The officer trying to comfort him, by patting his shoulder, but there had been no comfort in that touch, for the man was a stranger, the messenger of ill-fortune.

The officer asked him, whilst he wept into his shaking hands, silent sobs racking his frame, "Takahashi-kun, is there anyone you'd like us to call for you?"

"My... grandparents, aunts and uncles. They need to know," he responded hoarsely, brokenly. With a deep breath he'd stood, though still shaken, he knew he had to be strong, if not for himself, then his baby brother, ten years his junior. Would the eight year old who resembled so much their mother, save for the color of his chocolate brown hair which had been attributed to their maternal grandfather, understand at all what was going on, he doubted it.

Once the call had been put through, their family was there within a matter of hours, just before the early hours of dawn. They'd discussed amongst themselves the funeral arrangements, after the bodies had officially been identified by Takahiro and his grandparents.

Misaki though he'd dozed off for awhile, stirred upon hearing the commotion of voices as they mentioned accidents and funerals. Walking up to Takahiro, the eight year old with wide emerald green eyes clung to his brother, dazed and confused as all eyes fell upon him.

Takahiro did not like where the conversations direction at that time seemed to be headed and had wrapped his arm more tightly around his little brother, determined that in place of his parents he would raise him, himself.

"I'll raise Misaki," he'd told the family gathered around in their living room in the dead of night just before the sun begun to rise.

His parents had been taken from them both, he hadn't been about to let anyone or anything separate him from his dear baby brother, even if it meant never going to the university that he'd been accepted to.

He'd decided that very early morning that, instead he would directly step into the workforce in order to care for his one and only sibling, a very vulnerable eight year old.

This morning however, three days after the incident and two days before the actual funeral was to take place he'd finally read the newspaper that had detailed what had happened the night of the accident. Before he'd been unable to remove the paper from its string, or allow Misaki anywhere near it, even if the boy enjoyed the funnies, but he didn't wish to cause his little brother anymore pain than he was already suffering.

His brother was too young to be dealing with death, even he himself thought that he was too young, but at least he could do as he pleased and he'd chosen to raise his brother in place of their parents. Misaki though, he was only eight, had he not taken him under his wing he doubted anyone else in their family would have and Misaki would not have had a say in anything.

Lifting a cup of coffee to his lips, he blew at it as the steam rose from it an a continuous swirl, before fully evaporating into the air. As he took a sip from the mug he skimmed over the paper.

His eyes widened as he read that there had been a third victim, one whom had survived, but seemed to be in a mild comatose state. The name caused him to blink, his hand hovering in mid air, still holding the handle, his mouth ajar as he couldn't quite believe it.

Quickly placing his mug back on the coaster that sat on the coffee table, a splash of scalding hot coffee falling onto the mahogany surface as blue eyes skimmed over the paper once more.

Sure enough it read, _'The previous night, during a horrendous electrical storm, with heavily pouring rain that came down so quickly, the droplets so large it was difficult to see even out of ones window, there were a number of accidents. Yet the one on the bend of a cliff involved three vehicles. One of the cars belonged to Takahashi Misao and Takara, who did not survive, they had to be pried out with the jaws of life, lodged between another car and a large truck. The second car, which the Takahashi car was rammed into as the large truck behind them sped into them, held only the driver, a senior high school student, __**Kamijou Hiroki**__, whom is in a state of comatose. The truck driver, whom was the instigator, going over the speed-limit and with a BAC of 0.15_.'

The young man in the comatose state was someone Takahiro knew, through his friend Usami Akihiko, who he himself had nicknamed Usagi. He'd heard from Usagi prior to the accident, that Kamijou's parents had gone off for an extended second honeymoon and wouldn't return until the official commencement of the students that was two weeks away, though their actual school year was over.

Frowning, Takahiro stood up and dialed the hospital that he believed Kamijou Hiroki to have been taken too, the same hospital where he'd gone to, so that he could help to clarify that it was indeed his parents whom had died in the senseless accident. Even though he didn't know Kamijou well, for he was more Akihiko's friend than his, he was still someone he knew, offhand.

He also didn't want yet another innocent person to perish, because of the drunken driver who had ruined several lives by killing, even without the intention to do so, two people that night of the storm. He prayed that Kamijou would not die, that he'd come out of his coma.

"Hello, I'd like to know if you have a patient by the name of Kamijou Hiroki there. He's eighteen and a high school senior about to graduate. He was involved in the same accident as my parents, the Takahashi's. I go to school with him."

There was a brief pause before the person on the other end of the line replied, "Yes, he's here."

"Thank you!" Forgetting to ask whether or not anyone was aloud to see him, he rushed into Misaki's bedroom, where the boy was bent over the family photo album, tear-stains marring the pages, but at least there was thick plastic to protect the pictures. "Misaki, come on, we're going to the hospital."

Large emerald green eyes looked up at him, a tiny hand lifting to scrub at the waterlogged eyes. "Nii-chan," he sniffled, "why?"

"A friend of mine was also in the accident."

The little boys bottom lip trembled, "Di-did t-they d-die too?"

Takahiro shook his head, "No, but he's not well, they can't wake him up, but he's still breathing. It might still be possible that he'll die, but maybe if we go to see him, because his parents are away, he might get better."

Misaki blinked, sniffling again as he rubbed his eyes dry, standing up to place his hand in his big brothers.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the hospital, having taken the subway three blocks from where they lived to the station that was only a block and a half away from the building that was their destination.

Takahiro at the front desk asked the receptionist, "What room is Kamijou Hiroki in?"

They glanced up, "Only relatives may see him."

"His parents are on their honeymoon for the next two weeks and they cannot be contacted. I'm a friend of his and I just want to see him, maybe if he hears a familiar voice he might wake up..." his voice trailed off as the receptionist glared at him as though he were an idiot, though he didn't notice it.

His words had trailed off, because he doubted he would have the power to awaken the temperamental childhood friend of his friend Usagi. Although he had not wished to disturb him while he was out house-hunting and holing himself away to work on a manuscript.

Misaki noticing the receptionists glare gazed up at Takahiro, "Are we going to see him Nii-chan?" And the receptionist herself heard that sentence, missing the word _him_, and assumed that Misaki was Kamijou Hiroki's little brother instead of Takahiro's. After all the two didn't look anything alike.

"He's in room 313-B," then she waved him away after he'd signed in _Takahashi Takahiro & Misaki_.

They took the elevator to the third floor and found 313-B near the end of the hall to their right as they stepped out.

Misaki hid behind his brothers leg as the man in the hospital bed next to the window groaned, slowly lifting his hand as though with much difficulty, to his head.

Takahiro gave Misaki's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as they stepped up to the bed, the older of the Takahashi brothers gazing down at hair, which according to L'Oreal Feria's hair color chart, was hot-toffee brown, but natural.

The brothers watched, silently as the hospital gown clad young man, of Takahiro's age, struggled to open his eyes, they could visibly see his eyes twitching.

Finally ever so slowly, the long thick dark lashes fluttered open, revealing cinnamon red-brown irises that were unfocused, and as the man beneath the covers turned his head, he winced. His eyes slowly trailed up as he caught sight of the two people standing at his bedside.

He didn't recognize the boy with green eyes, so for the moment ignored him, his cinnamon brown gaze gradually meeting that of dark blue, but once again nothing registered. He did not recognize this man, who stood over him, his brows furrowing as he tried to find answers to the mounting questions.

"Hello Kamijou."

The man who'd just come out of a three day coma blinked, "Who?"


	3. Care-taking

**Care-taking**

* * *

Takahiro blinked momentarily confused by the single questioning word that Usagi-san's childhood friend spoke. He thought that perhaps the smaller man might not have recognized him for they did rarely meet and greet as they were neither in the same class, even if they were in the same year, nor were they planning to attend the same University. Although, considering the circumstances he'd not be continuing on with his education, for he'd need to work in order to support both himself and his younger brother.

He smiled down at the brunette who'd only moments ago awakened, "Kamijou, I'm Takahashi Takahiro, Usami Akihiko's friend. And this is my little brother Misaki"

Cinnamon red eyes just stared blankly at Takahiro, his brows furrowing deeply and forming small wrinkles between them over the bridge of his nose, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you're talking about. I don't know who Kamijou, you, Usami Akihiko or Misaki are."

Dark blue eyes widened, as did that of the green eyed child's, both thinking that something was seriously wrong.

Misaki clenched his hand into Takahiro's shirt, looking up at him, "Are you sure he's Kamijou-san, Nii-chan?"

The older brother ruffled the younger ones chocolate brown hair, "I'm positive its him, unless he has a twin that no one knows about."

The child's mouth rounded into a small, "Oh," and looking down at the floor he murmured, "but he doesn't remember who he is?" He frowned as he gazed back up into the dark blue of his brothers eyes, "Then, is he like that woman on that movie we saw, the one with amna-amanasia?"

"Amnesia," he corrected his little brother, it suddenly dawning on him that that was a very likely possibility.

The patient they had come to see glared at them, "Must you talk as though I'm not even here to hear your conversation?"

Takahiro turned his head back toward the irritable man in the hospital bed, who had a bandage wrapped around his head, just above his eyes. It looked as though they hadn't needed to cut his hair, if it weren't a bandage he might have thought it one of those sweatbands some joggers wore.

"Forgive us Kamijou," he bowed his head in apology for a brief moment.

Speaking the mans family name reminded him that he should at least explain that it was he whom he was addressing.

"You," he pointed at him, even if it may have been rude, he thought it necessary in order for the other to understand whom exactly it was he meant, "are Kamijou, your full name is Kamijou Hiroki an eighteen year old soon to graduate from High School."

There wasn't much more he knew about the other young man and even if he did he thought it best if he alerted a doctor.

Lightly patting his little brothers head, "Misaki, stay here with Kamijou, I'm going to go see if I can track down a doctor."

The eight year old blinked up at his brother, "Why not press the button for a nurse?"

Hiroki, quietly took in the information that this Takahashi Takahiro had just given him, trying to digest it while the two brothers spoke. The name Kamijou Hiroki slowly turning around inside his mind, as though trying it on to see whether or not it fit.

'_How the hell can someone forget their own name? Especially me! What if he's lying?'_ His eyes closed tightly, teeth clenched together as his fingers tug into the white sheets that lay over him, a dull throbbing ache starting at his temples and the center of his forehead.

While Kamijou was quiet, Takahiro stared down at his brother, before giving him a large smile, "Sometimes Misaki you amaze me! I wish you'd be more like that with your school work," which earned him a pouting frown from his baby brother.

He reached for the call button that he found next to Hiroki, his hand brushing the others thigh through the hospital sheets that kept him warm. Never before had he been close enough to even touch the brunette, about the same age as himself, even accidentally.

However as he lifted the call button, where his hand had brushed against the other mans leg, he felt a strange tingle. He however put it aside, thinking it was the fault of the bedsheets.

Moments after pressing the button which one could hear buzz dully and light up a little orange light over the right side of the bed did a nurse enter the room.

Cat-like light brown eyes lit up, a smile forming on the young nurses countenance as her eyes settled upon the young patient of the room, after greeting his two apparent visitors.

Walking over to him she gazed down into confused russet irises, "I see you've finally regained consciousness. I'm your nurse for this afternoon, you can call me Nurse Aizo. Now, is there anything I could get for you?"

Only about half an hour ago had she been in the room, checking the high school boys vital signs.

Hiroki blinked at the woman in white, he realized this here was a nurse, something so trivial in comparison to his name.

"Excuse me, but could you explain to me what exactly happened that I wound up here?"

The nurse was momentarily at a loss for words, but quickly recovered with a smile, though it didn't look quite natural to any of those within the room, "I'm sorry Kamijou-kun, but you'll have to wait until Sawagari-sensei is here and he'll fill in all the details for you."

She looked at Takahiro and Misaki, "If you could, please wait until the doctor gets here," then to Hiroki, "I'll go get you a pitcher of water, I'm sure you must be thirsty."

As she turned to leave, Takahiro followed after her, "Excuse me, Nurse Aizo, can I speak to you for a moment?"

The nurse blinked, then nodded as they stepped out into the hall.

"Aizo-san, Kamijou didn't even recognize myself nor his own name."

At that the nurse's brows furrowed, "That sounds like it might be a case of amnesia, but I think Sawagari-sensei should be able to shed a bit more light on the matter. He'll be in within the next fifteen minutes as he's currently running his rounds, until then please don't say anything about the accident or anything else regarding his memory. Doing so could cause further complications, but on this particular subject I am no expert."

The only thing Takahiro could do was to agree with a nod of his head, "Of course, thank you Nurse Aizo," and with that he watched the nurse walk off down the hall, he himself turning back into the room and going over to once more stand at Kamijou's bedside with Misaki.

Misaki had been staring down at the floor the entire time his brother was outside the door with the nurse, whispering to one another about the patient Kamijou Hiroki. With the way the older brunette's eyes had been furrowed and his eyes narrowed he'd been too afraid to stare him straight in the eye, even though, like his Nii-chan he was concerned for him. However he was frightening! He was so glad when his brother came back into the room and stood beside him.

Looking up, he lifted his hand to clasp it in Takahiro's.

Hiroki couldn't do anything more than frown, confused about his own identity and these two brothers; confused too as to why he was there as well as the dull ache in his head that just felt as though it were gradually getting worse. Clenching his teeth once more, he glared down at the bedsheets as he tried to sit up.

Takahiro, noticing that Kamijou was trying to sit up, gently removed Misaki's hold on his hand so that he could bend down in order to help him.

Silently, green eyes watched the two, his Nii-chan really was kind as he moved around the bed to sit in one of the chairs the room offered for visitors.

He was too tired from crying, unable to sleep after the events leading up to this moment.

Slowly his eyes fluttered closed, unable to keep them open any longer, wishing that his parents too could have survived as Kamijou Hiroki had, even if they might have forgotten.

It was unfair that the culprit had gotten away with barely anything more than scratches.

Soon the child was lightly sleeping.

Hiroki looked up into the eyes of Takahashi Takahiro, they were filled with sorrow, but also a kindness as he smiled while helping him to sit up.

He frowned however, not wanting his help, "I can sit up myself!" It felt strange having him touch him, even if it were only as a gesture of kindness.

The taller man blinked, then smiled, "Kamijou, I'm only trying to help, I don't want you hurting yourself anymore than you've already been hu-..." abruptly he stopped, knowing that that would only lead to more questioning on Kamijou's part. Someone as smart as he was, was certain to ask, after all he along with their mutual friend Usagi had passed the entrance examination for Teito University after-all.

Reluctantly Hiroki allowed him to help him, though he did not smile nor thank him.

Just at that moment, a knock came from outside and then there appeared a man somewhere in middle-age wearing a white lab coat with a stethoscope dangling from his neck and holding a clipboard.

Looking up from the clipboard and in Hiroki's direction the man grinned, "Well hello there! I'm glad to see that you're finally conscious Kamijou-ku~n. We were worried that you might possibly never wake up with how positively stubborn you were being! Oh, by the way I'm Swagari-sen~sei!" He ruffled his patients hair with a chuckle.

One of Hiroki's eyes twitched, thinking that this doctor was decidedly odd, while he fixed his hair after the strange man had removed his hand. However there were questions that needed answers. And while he asked them, Takahashi –- the older one, remained quiet while the younger continued on with his little nap.

"Is my name really Kamijou Hiroki? Why am I here? What happened? I don't remember anything, even who I am and that's just strange!"

Bombarding by so many questions, the doctor blinked, before holding up his hand and becoming more serious than a moment ago, "Excuse me, but please slow down with your questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability."

Hiroki clamped his mouth shut, his lips pursed as he waited for answers.

"First, your name really is Kamijou Hiroki. You had your I.D. with you when the accident happened, so we were easily able to identify you."

"Accident?"

The doctor nodded, "That is the very reason you are here. You were in a collision, a three car pile up. The car behind you was rammed into yours when the third driver, of a very large truck rammed into them. The people in the middle car, the Takahashi couple, did not make it. As for why you cannot remember anything, it appears to be a case of amnesia. You did get a shard of glass lodged into your head, but I do not recall it having gone so far as to hit your brain. However you did have a pretty bad concussion, so at some point you may have hit your head pretty bad. That or the trauma you suffered just experiencing the accident caused it. It may only be temporary, but can take weeks or months for your memories to return. Few cases have taken years and even fewer have never remembered anything at all, unless of course there was damage done to the memory part of the brain dealing with their life events."

To Hiroki and Takahiro both, it sounded horrible. While the doctor had mentioned that the Takahashi couple had not survived, his eyes had turned to Takahiro's, whose eyes had looked on the verge of tears before bending his head.

At least he knew now what was going on, what had happened, but, where was his family. He hadn't realized he'd asked that aloud.

It was Takahiro who answered, lifting up his head, taking a deep breath to be strong. He had Misaki to take care of after all and if he broke down, he doubted anyone else in their family would look after him.

"They're on another honeymoon, they'll be back a day before the graduation ceremony which is a couple weeks away."

Hiroki frowned, unhappy with that revelation, gazing at the doctor, "When can I go home?"

"If your parents had been home to call, you could leave today, but we can't let you go anywhere alone since you're still recovering. Now if there were someone you could stay with..."

At that Takahiro spoke up, "He can stay with us, with my brother Misaki," he pointed toward the sleeping eight year old, "and I. School is over so I should be able to take care of Kamijou until his parents get home if we can't get a hold of them before then."

The doctor looked skeptical, but Hiroki did not want to stay at the hospital. Even if he had to stay at someone elses place, since he had no idea where his home, then so be it.

"I'd like to stay with the Takahashi's doctor. We do go to the same High School. There shouldn't be a problem, should there?"

Sawagari-sensei shook his head, "No, I suppose not..." he paused turning to gaze at Takahiro, "Takahashi? Are you..."

Takahiro nodded, "Yes, but please don't let that be an obstacle. In a way we share an experience, even if Kamijou doesn't remember right now, so I think its important to take care of one another if possible."

"Right..." the doctor sighed, "I'll get the paperwork ready and you can sign him out. A nurse will be in with a wheel-chair as it is the policy of all hospitals to see every patient out and into a vehicle in one."

Hiroki frowned not liking the idea, not wishing to in any way at all appear weak, but he'd have to suffer through it least they change their minds and keep him here.

Takahiro smiled, shaking the doctors hand, "Thank you Sensei."

As the doctor left, Misaki stirred from his short slumber, rubbing his fists over his tired eyes, "Nhnn, whats going on?"

"Misaki, we're going to be taking care of Kamijou, he's going to stay with us for awhile."

At that the little boy winced, but in resignation sighed, smiling as he stood up, "Okay."

Hiroki grumbled under his breath, "I can take care of myself," though inwardly he felt elated that someone, outside his family, would be so willing to take care of him.

It wasn't much later that they left, after the nurse had brought Hiroki a pitcher of ice water of which he drank one cup before they were able to depart the hospital. And while they all sat in the back of the taxi, Hiroki, from beneath his lashes, his head bent so that his bangs blocked his eyes from view, he gazed secretly at Takahiro.


	4. Settling In

**Settling In**

* * *

Finally, they arrived at the dwelling of the Takahashi family. Although it was a family that had dwindled down to two, thanks to that horrific accident that he couldn't even recall.

He found it strange, that he couldn't remember _anything_ and it irritated him beyond all measure.

Unfortunately for him, not even his parents had been around, nor did he have a clue as how to contact them, but at least he had a friend to care for him. Takahashi Takahiro was a friend, wasn't he? Otherwise, why would he stoop to help someone as confused and disoriented as him?

Guilt began to claw up his throat, because he'd overheard everything. These Takahashi siblings had lost their parents in the same accident that had wound up disrupting his memories. Yet he had lived, while they had not. He was surprised neither seemed to resent him, because he'd lived and they had not.

Takahiro opened his door, once he'd parked.

Misaki got out of the himself and going up to the welcome mat, waiting for them while his brother helped Hiroki out of the car.

Takahiro offered his shoulder to him, "I'm sure you're still sore from the wreck and I'd feel terrible if you were to be further hurt in anyway should I not aid you."

He wanted to growl at him, that he was fine, but grimaced as soon as he set foot upon the ground.

While he didn't seem to have broken anything, his body was still covered in bruises, some that he couldn't even see.

Carefully, Takahiro shut the door of the car and helped the shorter teenager to the front door, where Misaki waited for them.

Misaki reached into his brothers jeans pocket and retrieved the keys and turned to unlock the door. Opening it, he called out, along with Takahiro, "I'm home!"

As it wasn't _his_ home and he remembered at least some of his birth countries _cultural_ things, he got out, "Sorry to be a bother."

Takahiro looked down at Misaki, "Misaki, can you go get a glass of water for Kamijou."

Misaki stared up at his brother with wide green eyes and once he was done with his request, he nodded, "Okay!" And turned around to walk hurriedly into the kitchen.

Takahiro looked around the room and then spotting a dark brown recliner, helped Hiroki over to it.

Once Hiroki was sitting down, Takahiro smiled, brushing his hands through the messy mop of light brown hair, without thinking. "I'm going to get a bed ready for you, okay Kamijou?"

The young man sitting in the recliner, stilled as he felt those fingers run through his hair. It felt vaguely familiar and yet, different.

'_Why aren't your hands cold?_'

He couldn't quite put his finger on as to why, but he also couldn't help but wonder why it had felt so good.

His brows furrowed upon that thought and swatted Takahiro's hand away grumbling, "Fine, go and do that!"

From beneath his lashes, he watched the dark haired man turn around and leave the room. Alone in the front room, he felt perturbed without the presence of the other man.

Surely it was because of his predicament, after something like that happened to a person, surely they wouldn't want to be alone.

The accident and memory loss had made him all too aware of how truly mortal one was and that in an instant, he could have lost everything. Of course he _had_ lost everything, in so far as his memories were concerned. At least of events, but he could remember silly little facts, so insignificant, like how to hold a cup.

He blinked down at his hand, wondering when he'd gotten the cup, but he saw out of the corner of his eye a dark brown head of hair. Turning his head slightly, he saw large green eyes staring at him.

Yet as soon as he looked at the him, the kid ran away, down the hall. He soon heard what he could only assume was that of a door closing, probably the door to the kids bedroom.

Scowling, he lay back in the recliner, wincing as he felt a bit of a sting trail up his right side. Although it was his head that throbbed the most with pain. Particularly where the bump was on the backside of his head rather than where he'd been told glass had pierced his flesh.

Before the pain could get any worse, he took a sip of the water that the younger Takahashi brother had given him, though it did not ease the pain at all.

The older of the brothers reappeared, smiling at him, as though they'd been comfortable friends forever. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember if they had been or not.

"Here Kamijou, you might want to take one of these," the taller youth uncapped an orange bottle and tapped out a pill into the palm of his hand.

Glaring at the suspicious looking capsule, he asked, "What is that?"

"It's vicodin, it'll ease your pain. However since one can become addicted to them if not used properly, I'll just be keeping them as a safeguard and give you one as needed by the instructions."

"I'm not an idiot!" Did this guy think he was going to become addicted to some stupid little pill? He wasn't a drug addict! Sure he might like sake and things like that, but not anything else.

Thinking about drinking, he wondered if maybe he'd been a drunk driver as well.

His breath caught in his throat as he closed his eyes, paling at the very idea, because of what had become of the Takahashi brothers parents.

"Takahashi..."

"Yes, Kamijou?"

"W-was I d-drunk?"

Startled blue eyes gazed back at him, the pill still in his hand, already having placed the bottle in his pocket. "Why would you ask about that Kamijou?"

"Because...I think I was going to drink that night," but why, he didn't know.

"You're not old enough to be drinking. Beside's everyone was tested and you didn't have a drop of alcohol in your system and neither did my parents. Only..." he frowned, whenever he thought about it. He was adult enough now to take care of himself, but his little brother.

Why couldn't they have at least lived another ten years, wondered Takahiro silently to himself.

"Are you alright Takahashi?"

Takahiro blinked and then looked down at him, "I'm fine Kamijou," he placed the pill against the brunette's lips, "now open up, this wont hurt a bit."

Glaring up at him, his mouth parted to yell at him, but Takahiro took that opportunity to pop the pill in his mouth and placed a finger over his lips.

"Don't spit it out, you have to swallow it."

He continued to glare at the other man about his own age, give or take a month or more, thought he felt a bit of heat rise to his cheeks, unsettling him.

Turning his head away from Takahiro, he tilted his head back and took a few gulps of water to get the pill down and to quench his suddenly parched mouth.

What was even more disconcerting was how that smile played havoc with the tempo of his pulse.

"Good, Kamijou."

That had him tensing and slamming the glass down on the coaster readily available on the coffee table, "I'm not a damn dog!"

Takahiro blinked, "I know Kamijou. I was just glad you took your medication, otherwise I and Misaki would both worry..." he glanced around the room, looking over each of his shoulders. "Where is Misaki?"

"I think he went to his room," He said in a low annoyed tone, seething from being treated as though he were some kind of sick invalid.

_'Wait I sort of am...but! That doesn't give him any right to treat me like some idiot._'

Takahiro smiled, "If there's anything else you need Kamijou, please let me know. Your bed is ready now, so would you like help, or can you manage it on your own?"

Hiroki blinked, having expected Takahiro to just help without considering his feelings and actually asking.

Once again, the older of the Takahashi siblings had amazed him. Perhaps he realized how much of an independent soul he was, filled with pride. _'I wonder, was I always this way or is this a result of the accident and amnesia preceding it?_'

There were no answers yet forthcoming, but at least he wasn't alone and hoped that one day, he'd remember everything.

"I'd...appreciate...your help," he muttered beneath his breath. He'd prefer not to have relied on Takahashi Takahiro at all, but he could hardly move without feeling some sort of ache or pain and after that pill he felt just a bit dizzy.

Stepping out of his room and into the hallway, Misaki watched as his brother helped Kamijou to the spare bedroom that had been prepared for the duration of his visit with them.

Takahiro gently helped Hiroki down onto the bed, though so as not to jostle the other third year high school student, he'd had him hold onto the back of his neck so that he could slowly lower him onto the mattress.

Cinnamon red-brown eyes gazed up into a medium dark blue, but then after a few seconds he tore his hands from his neck, realizing that he no longer needed his support and was able to choke out a thank you.

"T-t-thank you Takahashi!"

Misaki peered into the room and piped in, "Nii-chan?"

Takahiro turned to gaze at his baby brother, "Yes Misaki?"

In one of Misaki's, he held a black silver shaded teddy bear with a thistle colored bow and eyes, while he nibbled the thumb of his free hand between his teeth.

"Are you going to tuck in Kamijou-san, Nii-chan?"

Overhearing that, Hiroki picked up a book to launch and startled the other two.

However Takahiro seemed to think Hiroki wanted to be tucked in and so, walked over to him and pulled the blanket up over him, tucking in the edges.

Hiroki growled, "What the hell?"

Once again that day, he felt two of Takahiro's fingers pressed against his lips, "Shh, everything will be okay Kamijou. I'll make sure to take extra special care of you from no onward until your parents have returned and your memories are once again intact."

"Idiot! That's not what I meant!"

Misaki nervously hugged his teddy bear tighter, "Nii-chan...m-maybe Kamijou n-needs a g-goodnight k-kiss so the m-monsters d-don't scare him."

Hearing that, russet eyes widened. His heart beat just a little bit faster than usual at least in comparison to that of which he could remember. Yet, he swore his body was used to it. _Why?_

Takahiro gazed down at Hiroki, "Well...to appease Misaki, I don't mind," though his eyes lingered far longer than necessary, before finally his mouth descended upon Hiroki's. A very light, very brief kiss when Takahiro pulled back and whispered, "I hope you sleep well Hiroki and will have pleasant dreams."

He highly doubted that, but when Takahiro left the room, he felt, somehow, bereft. He knew Misaki hadn't left yet, but he didn't have that much interest in him. Even when Misaki left the room, his feelings didn't alter much at all. He just wanted Takahiro to come back.

_'Why the hell would I want __**him**__ to come back?!'_

Frustrated and uncertain of tomorrow, he pressed his head down into the pillows and closed his eyes. Plenty time enough to find out, tomorrow than to lay where he was the rest of his life.


	5. Bath Time

**Bath Time**

* * *

During the night, Hiroki had tossed and turned, unable to get as fit a sleep as he would have liked. The Vicodin Takahiro had given him had certainly helped to ease his pain. However as the sun rose into the sky, his aches and pains returned with vengeance.

He felt horribly sticky from sweating so much during the night and still too weak to move much at all.

Wrestling weakly with the sweat dampened sheets, he scowled as Takahiro knocked on the door and entered the room.

Takahiro blinked at him, "Kamijou, let me help you." He walked over and leaned down to help untangle him from the sheets.

Still scowling, Hiroki tried to shove his hands away, but they'd become too tangled up in the sheets to really move at all.

"I don't need your help Takahashi!"

Takahiro sighed, "Now, now Kamijou, there's no need to take that kind of attitude. I know this is a difficult situation, but please let me help you. It'll be quicker that way and then Misaki can change the sheets while I prepare a bath for you."

His light auburn brows furrowed, his eyes narrowing, his lips curling back. "I can do all of that myself Takahashi."

"Then, can you get out of bed yourself, without pain Kamijou?"

Determined not to lose face, he struggled with the blanket that was twisted all around him.

Each movement sent pain shooting through his head.

Finally, after several moments of struggling to escape from the sheets, he bowed his head, his bangs falling over his eyes. "Takahashi..."

"Yes, Kamijou?"

"I can't get out of the blanket." He averted his gaze, not willing to directly ask for help.

Takahiro smiled softly and took the end of the blanket and helped to disentangle Kamijou.

"There you go, now Kamijou, would you like help to the bathroom?"

Hiroki's head shot up and winced, placing a hand to the throbbing pain where he'd hit his head during the crash.

He glowered, even through his pain, one eye closed, "I can walk Takahashi! I'm not completely helpless."

"Okay, then follow me Kamijou and I'll get the bath ready."

Just then, Misaki walked by the door, "Nii-chan, what're we going to make fo' bweakfast?"

Takahiro turned his head toward his little brother and smiled. "We'll make omelet rice and fish, but after Kamijou has washed up. Misaki, could you change Kamijou's sheets please?"

Misaki glanced at Hiroki, who was still holding one side of his head.

The youngest of the three gulped and nodded his head, nervously edging outside the door. "I'll go get fresh sheets from the hall closet Nii-chan."

Takahiro watched his brother leave the room and then looked back at Kamijou, "Coming?"

That one word had Hiroki stopping, mid-step, his face suffusing with color. Before his eyes he saw himself back in the car, returning to the thoughts of the time.

He'd been about to go out and find some man to fuck, but the storm had interfered with his plans.

He blinked, frowning, wondering if he were some sort of male whore, because there hadn't been anyone specific.

"Kamijou?"

He looked up into worried deep blue eyes. "Yeah..." and stepped toward him.

Takahiro smiled and turned, leading him out into the hall and to a door on the right which led into the bathroom.

"Why don't you have a seat there," he pointed at the shower seat next to the bucket, back scrubber, newly opened bar of soap and the rubber ducks and little plastic ship that he assumed were for the kid.

Hiroki slowly sat down and watched as Takahiro leaned over the tub and turned on the water, checking to make sure the temperature would be just right.

While the water was running, Takahiro turned toward him and asked, "Do you need help removing your clothes Kamijou?"

Takahiro wasn't able to meet Kamijou's eyes as he normally would, biting into his lower lip, shifting uncomfortably.

Hiroki, in his minds eye imagined Takahiro undoing the buttons of his pajama top and flushed.

"N-no. I'm perfectly capable of undressing myself. You can go out now."

"Are you sure Kamijou? What if you slip and fall?"

"I'll call you when I'm in the tub, okay?" He frowned.

Takahiro nodded, "As you wish Kamijou, but remember, Misaki and I are here if you need any help."

"Yeah..." he murmured low and once Takahiro had left the room, closing the door behind him, he took a deep, long breath and slowly exhaled.

Closing his eyes, his lips thinning as he pressed them together, he undid the buttons of his pajama top and slipped it off, tossing it into the hamper next to the door.

Carefully standing up, he pulled down the pajama bottoms and stepped out of them, along with his underwear.

Once undressed, he sat back down and picked up a loofa and wet it and the bar of soap in the bucket of warm water. Lathering the soap onto the loofa he began to scrub his body.

Closing his eyes again, he sighed, moving the loofa down over his neck to his chest.

His lips parted as he imagined that instead of the loofa brushing over his nipple, that a mans fingertips were touching him.

His eyes flung wide open, his cheeks heating with color again. It hadn't been just any man that he'd imagined. The face that belonged to that hand in his imagination, had been Takahiro.

He tried to keep his mind off his newly formed desire. They were both men and somehow, he couldn't see Takahiro wanting to do those things with another man. Certainly not him, not when someone else wanted Takahiro.

His brows furrowed, wondering who it was who wanted Takahiro. He didn't know if it was just his imagination, or if it were a fragment of some memory.

Shaking his head, he concentrated instead on washing himself. Once he'd finished, he only had his back left and picked up the scrub brush with the long handle.

Lathering soap onto it, after dunking it and the loofa inside the bucket of water, he washed his back.

Rinsing himself with the adjustable shower-head, without getting into the tub, he rinsed off and let the water drain down the drain-hole in the middle of the room where the floor dipped in slightly.

His hands took hold of the side of the tub and he slowly placed one foot in and then the next, carefully sitting in the nice hot water. Several minutes earlier, he'd turned it off when the bath looked as though it were nearly filling to the brim.

Takahiro paced outside the bathroom, watching as Misaki took the clean sheets into the room they were lending their guest.

Never before had he felt so awkward over the thought of seeing another mane naked. Not when he and his family had often gone to public bathhouses and washed up there.

"Nii-chan? Are you okay?"

He looked down at his brother whose big green eyes stared at him, worried.

Kneeling, he placed his hands on Misaki's shoulders. "I'm fine Misaki. I'm just worried about Kamijou."

Misaki sighed and wrapped his arms around his brother in a hug.

Takahiro knew that Misaki probably worried that he too might leave, like their parents had. He wasn't going anywhere though. Misaki was his little brother and with their parents gone, he'd look after them. He knew his parents wouldn't want them to be separated.

"Why don't you get the ingredients out for breakfast and I'll be in the kitchen in a few. Don't touch the knives." He warned.

Misaki let his arms fall to his side and nodded, smiling, "Okay!"

Takahiro watched him hurry down the hall toward the kitchen.

Frowning, he turned back to the door of the bathroom. Kamijou had never told him he was in the bath tub and it had been too long.

Knocking on the door, he turned the knob and walked in.

"What the hell Takahashi!?" Kamijou dipped his body beneath the water. Takahiro could only see his knees and then his nose and up.

"You said you'd tell me when you were in, but you didn't, so I got worried." Just for a moment, the thought that it was a shame he couldn't see more ran through his mind.

Turning around, he stared out into the hall, confused by his thoughts. Kamijou was a man, he tried to tell himself. Even if he was attracted to him, there was no way Kamijou felt the same. Plus, he'd always been attracted to women. He'd even had a couple of girlfriends before.

"I'll go get you a towel and change of clothes and then you can meet Misaki and I in the kitchen. Unless you'd like help?"

"Don't worry about me."

But that wasn't something he could do, Kamijou had been hurt in the same accident that had claimed his and Misaki's parents. He didn't want anything to happen to Kamijou.

Maybe it was all the emotions of the past few days that had gotten to him and because Kamijou was a part of the incident, he was reacting strangely toward him.

He tried to rationalize his strange new desires with that and went to get Kamijou a towel and change of clothes. Once he'd done so, he went to help Misaki in the kitchen.

* * *

**Author Note: **I'm wondering how readers are reacting to this rare-pair. I like taking the oddest and most unlikely sometimes and seeing how it pans out. Hopefully this one has thus far?


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